Any suggestions on bringing back penny dates?

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I found this penny roll hunting. The last digit of the date is pretty worn. I think I see 1910, 1914, and 1919 when I look at it several different ways and depending on the light. It's probably up to every different person's interpretation at this point, but I thought I would ask. Too bad it's in this condition since there is a big difference in value spread from 1910 to 1919. I've tried to search, but I can't seem to find any ways to bring back penny dates. Any suggestions? Thanks everyone.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Once the dates are worn that's it!

Circulation wear can't be reversed IMHO

 

I think it is 1919. It looks like the "remains" begins to curve inward like the loop of a "9". If it was a "0", it would not begin to curve inward so soon. Does that make sense? ~ Chris

 

Thanks Chris, and yep it makes sense. I looked at a pic of an 1910 and I see what you mean. I agree it's probably a 1919. The "0" of the 1910 looks like it would drop down lower than where the curve of the "9" starts. The box I found this one in had a 1919 in there too that was in a little worse condition, but the date on that one was still good. I wish it was a clean 1910, but hey not bad finding 13 wheats in 1 box and 2 that are now 100 years old.

 

I think it's more likely that it was struck through grease or something. There was never any detail there to restore.

 

Unlike Cu-Ni five cent coins, copper cents can not be re-dated.

Jim

 

That just goes to show that I still don't understand date restoration. Copper certainly work-hardens. I guess maybe it doesn't work-harden as much as cupronickel?

 

Electron microscope?

 

I did a lot of experiments with vinegar dating and a bit of research.

From what I understand, the nickel is the main stuff. Copper will dissolve uniformly in the presence of acid. However, the nickel will dissolve at a different rate than copper.

So, uneven dissolution rate will allow the work-hardened portion of the metal to become visible.

At least, I think

 

I was thinking 9 originally but kinda looks like a 0.
Can you take much better, in-focus, up-close, unpixelated pictures of it so we don't think we're seeing stuff that is put there by the computer processing ?

 

Good hunting, Mr. Wapelhorst. When you initially come across an extremely worn cent in the wild, where you can tell it's most likely pre-1930, it's been my experience that a 1919 is your most likely find, with 1920 being next in prominence. When you do discover one of these well worn wonders, you cannot help but ponder the possibility that your coin may have been traveling from pocket to pocket for an entire century without being corralled . What are the odds? I would imagine that a typical life of a ragged 1919 cent would have been that it spent it's first 40 years traveling around from place to place like a wandering hobo. Then in the early 70's being plucked out of circulation by some grade schooler, to put in his "penny" book. Then maybe 10-20 years later it's returned to the wild for possibly a myriad of different reasons, where it once again becomes quite the jet setter. Then maybe a decade later it ends up in a huge jug , smack dab in the middle with thousands of it's fellow buddies. Then a few years after that, it's poured into a huge machine, where it's hastily spit out in a plastic bag. Then soon after that it's time to hit the road once again, until one day years later, where it's thrown into a box along with thousands of his pals, all born before 1959 too.

 

I'm not sure work hardening would have much to do with dissolution rates.

 

That seems to be the answer we've settled on in previous discussions here. It would explain why devices are enhanced on an etched nickel, and why they aren't on silver (which doesn't work-harden in the same way). Of course, that doesn't mean it's correct -- but then why does the date come back when you etch a dateless nickel?

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I tried to use my microscope, but the light was just too bright. I took a few more pics and then adjusted to black & white. It seems like this is the best angle I can get on this coin. Just not much to work with. As I was working with new pics I did notice the "I" in Liberty and the last "T" in trust are either worn or lightly struck as well. Who knows what it really is at this point. I'll hang on to it because I like the historical aspect of it, purchasing this for 100 years. Just wish I could narrow down the value a little more. Thanks again for all your input.

 

There are a number of dates it could be, with the most likely being a 9.
As was mentioned you can bring out dates in nickels (while ruining the coin),
I'm not sure about silver (SLQ's).
For the cent, what I would suggest is finding a VERY bright light, and using a loupe,
and turning the coin around at all different angles. You may be able to see something that way that is not visible in normal light.

 

I'm leaning more strongly toward 9 at this point. As @White Ger. Shep. Lover said, they're very common.

A couple of the photos really make it look like a 0 -- but the 0 in 1910 would be the same height as the 1, not larger and descending like this.

 

If you sent it to a TPG, what would they do with it?

 

I'm thinking they typically refuse to slab coins where they can't tell the date or mintmark. But they do encapsulate errors where the date is obscured or missing, so...?

 

1919

 

Those pics make it clearly a 9 to me. YMMV